Power to the Patient: New treatment for nail fungus looks promising

Power to the Patient: New treatment for nail fungus looks promising

Some people are afraid to rock those summer sandals, and the reason is more common than you think. More than 36 million Americans are dealing with nail fungus. Now a promising new treatment goes straight to the source.

Nail fungus is the condition that makes nails yellow and thick and can just be generally unpleasant to look at, but after a short procedure at the Bettendorf office of Dr. Pamela Davis, patients can take a step in the right direction.

“We are actually able to kill the fungus outright at the time of the treatment,” Dr. Davis explained.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Davis is offering PinPointe laser treatment that goes straight to the source of the problem She starts by filing the surface of each nail. Then she takes the laser and starts by working around the edges.

“It kills the fungus once the fungus gets to a certain temperature level,” she said. “It leaves our own tissues alone, so there is no tissue damage left behind.”

Dr. Davis say the laser seems to work better than over-the-counter solutions like topical creams and are safer than oral medications. But it will take a while to see results.

“You have to wait until the new nail grows in, and toenails grow very slow. At best they grow a millimeter a day,” she said.

Most people will only need one treatment, however after three months, another evaluation is recommended.

“I think this is a treatment that’s here to stay and will become more common as time goes on,” she said.

Insurance won’t pay for the procedure though, because companies consider it purely cosmetic. Out of pocket, it will cost anywhere from seven hundred to one thousand dollars for all ten.